AJ McAllister

Laneira Heights, Los Angeles County, California
Day 0

"Ready yet, dude?" I shouted back into Johnny's house. It was the last day of our junior year in high school for both of us, yet he still prove himself to be a slow-poke, just like what he usually is during our three years in Inglewood High.

I let out a sigh of relief, when I see him rushing out of the doorway, panting for the last of his breath.
"Am I late?"
"No, as if we would be late." I replied, before climbing into his parents' car and started to get ready for the long road trip in front of us.

To be exact, it was his decisive mind that brought us here, leaving Inglewood inside a car out of all means of transportation. But also, I can't even blame him, for this summer is also on my bucket list to be having all kinds of fun.
Jonathan always wanted to go to New York City, where, according to him, "people do great things, more than just dreaming to be on Hollywood", while I think he must have been out of his mind for saying so.

There is a reason why people called L.A the City of the Angels, and it is not just because of the name's direct Spanish translation:
In this city, you can meet all kinds of people that this world could possibly offered you to meet: from nice and stinky rich people, to Latin American immigrants working their butts off in order to make their American Dream come true. Or, you can expect yourself to meet buttholes or complete jerks whose minds or sense of logic does not present in those people's lifespan on Earth.

Also, we have the Capital Records and a notable part of the music industry lies in this city, not on the East Coast.
But my parents, John's parents and Johnny himself persuaded me to get on with this wild trip. Thanks to them, now I am inside the car, heading East, saying goodbye to the beautiful summer breeze for a while and getting ready to feel the wild breeze of the Midwestern prairies and the blazing heat of the Panhandle towns.
The vehicle started to move a significant amount of time afterwards, and I sat in the backseat, looking out on the fast-changing scenery on the sides of Interstate 405 while blasting my headphones with Drake tunes.

I took a glance at Johnny, who is clearly still busy writing his stories on the way, and took my time to enjoy all of his beauty, in our tranquil sounds of the wheels rumbling against the road.

His hair shone from the bright rays of sunlight that escapes through the curtains, and his lips sealed shut in a focused manner, trying his best to get his thoughts out on paper. His eyelids occasionally flickered, and his glance was sometimes outside of the windows, where we were passing through the swaying palm trees and the blue sky.

In the midst of the drought, I do know that a constant image of blue sky and blazing sun will not really a thing to look forward to, especially when you live in places like the Los Angeles County.
But if the sun was absent from summer, there will be no such time that we could possibly have fun in one of a large number of beaches in the county, or to have fun in the parks, or going to Yosemite or having fun in the Pride Month of June.

Jonathan was always an active member in our GSA club, and I am more than happy to see him working hard to pursue his dream to be attending Juilliard, along with his passion with words and writing.
But I always have that one feeling, whenever I see him walking along with people a little bit too close. Like, when everyone get all touchy-feely with him, and disregard my figure standing there, looking at them with death glares and deep disappointment.

I donʻt know. Maybe, I have that one feeling, you know? That I adore Johann more than just a childhood friend of mine?
From the way I looked at him with complete awe and adore, to the jealousy burning through my own body whenever he shed a tear over a guy that he had a crush on.

Well, on that part, I have to say that he had such a mysterious love interest: as far as I know, that lucky person is a guy, drop-dead gorgeous and is an awfully nice guy (or that was what he told me). But he would never give me the name of his crush.

"It's embarrassing, and I don't know whether or not I should ask him out." was his every-time response; sometimes, I would just shrugged it off, but in occasions, I got a bit irritated and started to snap at him:

"Hey, what could we all do if you wouldn't specify for me who was that person?"

I completely understood him if he is somewhat shy towards things like this, but my god, would he ever have to be that sensitive all the time?

I sighed, before once again, gazing out of the window. Itʻs a habit every time I felt like I need to think, and that is also the reason why I rarely ever pull my curtains fully down.

Johann is still there, deep in thought, his eyelids occasionally flickers to the paper, then to the scenery outside the window.
The one thing he mustn't know, that I am secretly admire my own best friend. Another guy. And a person who I am hopelessly in love with, for the second year.
I have enough of awkwardness when I stayed at his house for one or two nights, just because I canʻt risk him finding out my attraction towards him. Now, I have to stay with him for a whole month, going on a road trip across the continental United States with him and his family.

Seriously, pray for me. Because this trip would likely end in a disastrous way.